The provision of proper and reliable connectors for cable television systems, at least, has been a recurring issue for many years, particularly now as high definition signals are becoming standard within the industry. Generally, cable (such as coaxial types) connections must exhibit prevention of radio frequency emanations, protection from moisture, dust, and grit, and reliable signal transfer capability. Different connector types have been utilized within the industry, including screw-type mechanisms and push-force apparatuses, to permit transfer of signals from a wall port to a television port via the eponymous cable itself. Such connectors are generally considered the points of reliability for such proper cable installations as the potential for undesirable interference due to poor connections is relatively high. Indoor installations are particularly susceptible to noise ingress problems with variable skill levels in cable installers, the lack of reliability in screw-type connections, the placement of wall ports in edifices (and in relation to the desired location of the television itself), and the problems associated with simple push-on connectors (as friction-based clamps may lose dimensional stability due to fatigue, creep, and/or hysteresis over time), at least. Thus, there is an undesirable high potential for electrical interference within cable systems due primarily to the lack of reliable, secure, connections between the cable and the two ports themselves.
Past attempts to overcome such problematic connection points have included stronger compression connectors, simultaneous clamping and gripping devices to hold target cables in place, and deformable O-ring components alone to increase compression at the connection points at the target ports. Such past improvements have permitted a modicum of increased reliability to reduce potential electrical interference; however, as well these past developments exhibit their own drawbacks, too. For instance, when push-on devices alone are utilized, even with stronger compression forces generated than usual, the resultant connection remains susceptible to creep, fatigue, and/or hysteresis factors. In any physical system that relies solely upon the continued dimensional stability of its component parts, such as, in this situation, the same degree of elastomeric deformation over time and through continued utilization under, again, solely compression forces, there will always be a strong possibility of loss of performance (i.e., the aforementioned creep, fatigue and/or hysteresis). The variability of the sole component providing the compression force remains the weak link in the connection chain, in other words. As such, there remains a distinct probability of performance reduction, if not all out failure, of such a specific elastic connection device. Furthermore, the past developments including such limited improvement bases did not include any extra safeguards to increase the reliability of the connection should creep or fatigue issues occur over time.
Past screw-type mechanisms exhibit similar degrees of noise ingress problems, but for different reasons. As alluded to above, such connections, if undertaken thoroughly by the installer, can be secure in terms of electrical interference; however, that is basically the problem itself. If the installer does not properly screw the connection to the correct location, or if the screw mechanism itself is askew when installed, then potential vibrational influences may loosen the screw leading to the possible compromise of the overall connection itself. Additionally, typical screw-type mechanisms are difficult to operate by hand, but are also placed in hard-to-reach locations for properly configured wrenches to be applied for tightening. As such, and again, the reliability of such connections, which have been predominant in the cable industry in the past, have been highly suspect. The general requirement to tighten such connections through multiple revolutions of the screw portion itself, coupled with the general lack of determinability of the proper level of tightening needed for full contact between the connector and the target port, leads as well to the same type of noise ingress problems that the industry wishes to avoid.
Thus, there exists a need to provide not only a reliable connector, particularly over time, but also one that facilitates installation, even in difficult-to-reach locations indoors. To date, the cable connector art has lacked such a development.